Carnival Beads

We've loving embraced a Waldorf inspired daily, weekly, yearly rhythm in our home. In choosing this lifestyle we've added elements to our day for our creative nurturing. Today is Friday so today we have handwork. Since I am learning more skills in this particular area, we are limited in what I can teach and experience with the littles. Felting, however, is one of my favorite activities and I couldn't wait to share it with my littlest children. My older two, who have experienced felting thanks to their days at our local Waldorf school, equally enjoy this modality of creativity. I know they are eager to get in on the 'rolling' when they return from school today!

Since I am only me I was not able to take pictures of our entire felting process; from roving to felted ball! Therefore I am providing a link to a great site that has step by step instructions for those of you new to this process. Knitty; little purls of wisdom

In our yearly rhythm celebrations we try to include many festivals and holy days (holidays) from many cultures. Carnival or Karneval (as it is known in Germany) is the week leading up to Ash Wednesday. The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday ( which marks the beginning of the Lenten season) are known as Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday in many cultures. Aside from eating pancakes! many celebrations include a celebratory parade, costumes, and masks. Our beaded necklaces will adorn our Seasonal Table and I'm sure will be dangling from the necks of my littles........they needn't any excuses to dress up!

The following excerpt is from an article written by my son's Waldorf Kindergarten teacher on the idea of wool felting as handwork. You can read the rest of the article here

"Wool felting is a dynamic activity for the young child. It combines a connection with the element of water and repetitive motion working in the limbs - the interaction of friction between the two makes the fibers lock on a molecular level. We can realize and give thanks for the gifts of mother earth and our animal brothers and sisters as we experience shearing in the spring or plant gathering for dye in the fall. Fleece can be washed out of doors and dried in the sun by many busy hands. Carding is a rhythmic and peaceful ongoing activity that is very satisfying to the sense of touch in the young child. In the felting itself, there is the magic submersion of limbs into warm water and soapy bubbles that fills the need for true sensory experience.
 



The finished project often reveals much about the child who worked it - a simple felt ball can remain soft

and fleece-like, or be packed as tight as a golf ball. The will working within each child leaves a mark on

the end product, but this is not to say that we enter in to the activity for the end product! It is the process

of becoming that is paramount in the young child's experience and development. All activity must be

taken up with great joy and purpose."

I've been able to find wool roving locally by visiting our local Waldorf school's supply store. Here are a few beautiful online resources to help with your search for roving if this is an activity that interests you!

A Child's Dream

Living Felt

Colors of Nature on Etsy

Spring Lambs

Our celebration of Candlemas continues this week as we think about all the newness that is preparing to surround us. The snowdrops, the crocus, the baby lambs!!!

We live on a farm with a myriad of creatures, one being sheep. Oh how we love the sheep. Their 'maaaing', their gentle faces, their curious nature and mischievous ways! Springtime is lambing time and the children are always eager to learn the news of  the birth of a new lamb.

A simple and sweet craft one can make in honor of the new life that is upon us, the Light and new beginnings that Candlemas ushers in, is a felted lamb toy. It is a super simple and quick crafting that takes only a piece of wool felt, wool or cotton stuffing, some thread and a needle, and a template the shape of a lamb.

Make yourself an outline of a lamb out of card stock or cardboard. Trace your outline onto your wool felt, twice. Match up the pieces together and begin to sew a simple stitch around the border. Leave a small opening before you finish to fill your lamb with your cotton or wool stuffing. Sew up the lamb and voila! You have a simple, handmade, felt toy that your child will love to add to their seasonal collection of toys. Our lamb, the one that is pictured was made for our neighbor (who is the devoted Shepherd to the sheep) who needed a sign asking folks who might stop by to return again later. So, we added some simple threading and a handmade sign that asked their visitors to "Please come Again".

I wish for you a peaceful day as you contemplate all the new things that are awaiting your discovery. It would be wonderful to hear of all the exciting new things that have popped up for all of you, so please leave a comment and let us know what's peeking around the corner!